Cabinet wants to spare small savers after all
Minister Heinen is seeking a different threshold for the new wealth tax, but the bill has not yet been covered.
There is news on this story (Friday, 2 October 2026, 19:03): Cabinet rewrites box 3 after fresh Lower House criticism
The cabinet is prepared to amend its plans for box 3 again so that small savers and investors are less likely to pay tax. Finance Minister Eelco Heinen acknowledged in the Lower House (Tweede Kamer) that the proposed threshold did not sufficiently take account of people who currently fall outside wealth taxation.
The cabinet wants to introduce a capital gains tax from 2028. Under the proposal, savers and investors would pay tax as soon as they achieved returns of more than 1,000 euros. As previously reported by NOS, this would mean that far more people would be affected by box 3 than under the current system.
Heinen said the threshold had been chosen because, according to the calculations, a couple with around 100,000 euros in savings would remain outside the tax. At the same time, he acknowledged that many people who currently pay no tax would nevertheless be affected by the proposed lower threshold. The cabinet therefore wants to consider a different threshold.
No decision has yet been made. Heinen said finding an alternative would be complicated because the measure's revenue must remain at the same level. If smaller savers and investors are spared, the cabinet will have to find money elsewhere in its tax plans or impose a heavier burden on another group.
The temporary increase in wealth tax for 2027 is also under discussion. Under the plans, the allowance would fall from almost 60,000 euros to around 31,000 euros and the tax rate would rise. Heinen also wants to consult the Lower House further on this.
The political pressure is high because the cabinet does not have a permanent majority. Opposition parties on both the left and the right opposed the original threshold, while coalition groups also voiced criticism. The Lower House is expected to consider the Tax Plan from mid-October. Until then, it remains unclear who will ultimately be spared and how the shortfall will be covered.
The dossier therefore once again represents an interim position, not a definitive arrangement. Heinen's undertaking does not automatically alter the existing tax rules. New proposals and the approval of both Houses are required for that.
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This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The political undertaking and the provisional amounts mentioned have been checked against NOS reporting. The article makes clear which elements are not yet a bill or a final decision.
- confirmed Minister Heinen is prepared to adjust the threshold for small savers and investors. — NOS report on the General Financial Considerations. source
- confirmed The proposed tax-free return from 2028 is 1,000 euros. — Description of the cabinet proposal in the NOS article. source
- confirmed The allowance for 2027 would fall from almost 60,000 to around 31,000 euros. — Provisional cabinet plans as described by NOS. source
- confirmed There is still no definitive new threshold. — Heinen announced further consultations and calculations; the arrangement has not yet been finalised. source
Editor's note
The willingness to adjust the threshold has been confirmed; a fully worked-out alternative and funding are still lacking. Amounts for 2027 and the threshold from 2028 have therefore been described as cabinet plans or provisional proposals.Sources
The story so far
- Thursday, 1 October 2026, 19:03 Cabinet wants to spare small savers after all (this article)
- Friday, 2 October 2026, 19:03 Cabinet rewrites box 3 after fresh Lower House criticism
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „box 3”
- AD — „box 3”
- de Volkskrant — „box 3”